Parents are born encouragers- we all want our kids to succeed and do well in life, and that’s great. But sometimes, we take things a bit too far and set very high, or very low expectations from our kids, which ends up affecting their self esteem, motivation levels, productivity and so much more.
So how exactly does one set the right expectations from their kid? We’ve got you covered there. Read on to discover exactly that and much more!
Setting the Right Expectations from your Child
Never Compare
One of the simplest ways to ensure that you set the right expectations from your child, and are not overpressurizing him is to make it a point to never ever compare him with anyone- not even yourself. At a very early stage itself, help him realize that the only person in life he should strive to compete with is himself.
His effort and determination should be solely towards making himself better and progressing beyond what is currently is, and that’s the most healthy advice you can give to him as a parent.
Ditch Perfection
This one’s a biggie, and a lot of us seem to struggle with this one. We often forget that our children are human too, and just like us, they are bound to have flaws, and cannot be perfect with everything. Setting very high expectations from your kid and expecting him to win at everything can actually cause his energy to scatter, and will keep him from using his full potential towards that at which he’s actually great.
Focus on Short Term
In life, we often overestimate what we can do in a year, and underestimate what we can achieve in a day or a week, and we usually do the same with our kids too. The result? We end up feeling demotivated and confused, and even give up trying altogether, and the same affects our kids too. While setting long term goals is necessary, what’s even more important is to focus on helping your little one set short term goals, and help him achieve those.
Create a positive and empowering environment at home where you and your kid have healthy discussions about those goals, discuss strategies and make working towards those goals fun and exciting.
Be Flexible
One of the most important rules of parenting is to be flexible, and once you are able to do that, things can get a lot easier not just when it comes to bringing up your kid, but also other parts of your life. Recognize and celebrate your kid’s successes and help him learn from his setbacks. Don’t have fixed goals- be open to changes in both- your kid’s goals and the way he wants to achieve them.
Photo Credit:
No Comments